Wrighty (Bryan) I'm up there later - have dropped you message with my mobile number.

Sorry to hear that Vlad. You're still alive though and that's the most important thing. i suffered badly from depression, I hesitate to say I'm cured but I am much better. I di the mindfulness course a few times, bought he books, watched the videos etc. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who is a bit of a hero to many of us, said in one of his talks, "if you wake up breathing, you're doing well". Makes sense as that's where it all starts.

That is historically the largest defeat by a sitting government by a long margin. Essentially two thirds of the parliament voted against May. (202 for - 432 against) I think the previous largest one was by 100 votes and that was wy back in the 1920s.

Corbyn is pushing for a general election but as a supporter of anyone getting rid of May, what bloody difference would it make? The EU are not about to be pushed around and Corbyn's only idea seems to be to try to do that.

So the options are that May survives a confidence vote, in which case she is going to do precisely what? The EU will extend the article 50 but only for a political process and not to reopen negotiations.

So effectively we are right back to where we always were, IMHO as JV would have said, 1) stay in the EU 2) accept the current deal 3) crash out on WTO terms

Thanks guys. Wrighty the plan is still the same but things can change, I'll let you know if they do. Out of interest, once I've passed my final exam, I can teach on any vehicle I have a licence for apparently. So I could go get myself a PSV licence and teach bus drivers but somehow I don't think I'll bother. It probably means though that I can teach 7.5 tonne and B&E?

Anyway, an update. I had my last lesson on Monday and got all the paperwork signed to apply for my trainee licence. So from a week on Monday I shall be probably the oldest trainee driving instructor in the UK :-)

Got a new car coming a week on Monday, a 3 day course up Wrighty's way that week and then looking for a few victims from about the 25th!

Ah but it doesn't all end there! I have 3 days being observed by a senior instructor in the next few months then a test by a DVSA examiner n about 4 months.

Yes but those Southerners worried about a race war were happy as long as whites reigned supreme. The end game they sought was to maintain the status quo and let's face it. reserve free speech only for white people.

I do understand your other points but can't agree for one second. There are far too many of us who have believed the tripe force fed to us over the years. And there are too many people only too willing to listen to these idiots. We've just had a case where a couple have gone to prison for various terrorist activities and who named their children Adolf and Eva.

We've still idiots who maintain the earth is flat (some of them have hired a cruise ship next year to prove it) and others who deny the holocaust. The first don't matter, the second cannot be allowed to spread such nonsense which could cause harm.

On a personal basis, I run a large social group. we have a zero tolerance for racism, gayism (if that's a word) etc. I'm comfortable with that.

I see that Theresa is now asking for help from Labour MPs and is prepared to listen to John Mann's plan to strengthen workers rights.

Meanwhile Corbyn is saying the only way to resolve this is a general election. When we don't know what your plans would be Jeremy I really don't see what you think could be resolved, it would be just like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Over in other news. Jaguar Land Rover are planning to lose 5000 jobs in the UK apparently it is all Brexit's fault.

It has nothing to do with the fact that 90% of their cars are diesel and that subject was and is being supremely badly handled by this government meaning that everyone is running scared of buying a new diesel car.

Nor is it the fault of the Chinese where JLR's sales have fallen by 50%.

Nor is it the fault of JLR (and the EU) opening a new factory in Slovakia (where labour is cheaper) with 4000 new jobs there.

You misunderstand what we in Europe are trying to do. We are addressing racism head on and have made it unacceptable. Most people in Europe agree with this stance. Compare and contrast with America - it might be fine to insult people based on their race their but it is not the way we want to live.

Similarly for sexism and religious intolerance. Why should a woman not be able to walk the street without being whistled at and suffer cat calls?

The article you refer to suggests that the police are routinely involved in nvestigating such crimes. That's not the case at all, it is exceptionally rare.

I feel our society has become more tolerant since my youth and is a better place to live than previously because of these actions by our government.

Finally we have a confirmed use for Chris Grayling. He is the government’s secret weapon to make even the most incompetent and second-rate of ministers feel good about themselves. Not content with having wasted the best part of £14m on the government’s first-ever roll-on, roll-off pizza delivery service – all toppings guaranteed to be ferry free, the transport secretary has now spent more than £50K on failing to organise a lorry jam in Kent.

If the aim has been to make clear to the EU that the country is willing to spend any amount of money to prove we are totally unprepared for a no-deal Brexit, it is job done. Failing Grayling wears his hopelessness as a badge of honour. A man who lives and breathes the Samuel Beckett maxim: “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” An inspiration to the mediocre that complete catatonia is within their grasp. Even without the use of performance decreasing drugs.

The Brexit secretary certainly appeared immensely grateful to Grayling, as he was called to the dispatch box to answer an urgent question on what progress the government had made in its renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement since it pulled the vote several weeks before Christmas. Stephen Barclay had previously never dared to dream of being anything more than the nonentities’ nonentity and finding himself in the cabinet has prompted an identity crisis. He now affects the swagger of a somebody but has the personality and intelligence of a nobody.

Still, knowing next to nothing about anything is no real disadvantage when it comes to the Brexit negotiations as no one else in government has a clue either, so Barclay was free to make things up as he went along. There had been some progress and there again there hadn’t been some progress, he said gnomically, while repeatedly reassuring himself under his breath that at least he wasn’t Failing Grayling. There might be some news by Wednesday and if there wasn’t, then there might be by a following Wednesday. “I’m not Chris Grayling, I’m not Chris Grayling,” he mumbled, dying on his feet.

Jeremy Corbyn was more relaxed about Barclay not being Grayling. His fury was directed at Barclay not being Theresa May. The Labour leader had directed his question at the prime minister and it was a dereliction of duty she had sent a stand-in instead. It’s a sign of the general levels of Brexit madness that Corbyn believed he had lost out by not getting May’s version of events. No one has ever come away better informed about anything after 90 minutes in the company of the prime minister.

Apart from being angry about May’s absence, Corbyn wasn’t quite sure what he was actually angry about. All he knew for certain was that he was definitely angry. He shouted a bit, stumbled over his script – it was his first day back since Christmas so a little rustiness was to be expected – and generally demanded levels of clarity that were well beyond anything he could offer himself. The Labour leader might even have been taking lessons off Grayling.

What followed was an exercise in futility. Sensibly, no members of the DUP even bothered to turn up. With just 81 days till Brexit, parliament is still quite happy to waste its own and the country’s time. Barclay managed to both confirm that the prime minister would and wouldn’t present her new legal agreement before the debate restarted on Wednesday and that the vote would and wouldn’t definitely go ahead next week.

Not that anyone was listening. Or cared. Everyone who had always promised to vote against the deal anyway, merely confirmed they would do so regardless of what May said or did. “We have no plan,” wailed Labour’s Barry Sheerman. “We have no purpose.” He wailed for all of us. Though quite why it has taken him so long to realise this is a mystery.

Oh alright. But you have to go visit every country where you're going to cut aid first. And stay in some nice hotels with swimming pools so that you can immerse yourself in the culture and understand what living conditions are actually like there.

As for being one of the most advanced in these areas, I lived in Norway back in the 1980's. We are nowhere near even thinking about doing what they were doing back then. Triple glazing as standard. Bottle and can deposit. Massive hydro electric shcemes meaning power costs for the home were minimal.

I did finally get a call from Hastings though quite clearly they had not read my email. The female who called, asked why I wanted to cancel (I didn't, I just wanted not to renew). She was happy enough with that to ask me to hold while she put me through to her colleague (why didn't her colleague call me). Five minutes of listening to some crap music, then he wanted to know the same stuff. asked me if I could be interested in another quote but eventually agreed that as I was getting another car with insurance included it wouldn't be much use to me. So he said he would cancel it. NO!!!!! I don't want it cancelled I just want it not to be renewed. Finally got that done but it really shouldn't be that difficult.

I do feel we should be able to charge them for our time. These systems may be efficient for the company but not for me.

Indeed, but tht was my point. We can get trade deals with all sorts of countries but it may mean lowering standards I know there's a lot of propaganda about but in the US they do wash chickens in chlorine which allows them to use meat which we would condemn. I am trying to point out that this process is far from simple. I did not want to join the EU, EC yes, EU no. But we have to recognise that we have some almost 50 years of intertwining and regulation to undo much of which most of us are not aware of.

The Irish are panicking becuase they've just discovered that one third of the catch by Irish boats is in UK waters. They are also finding that the EU countries are not happy with the very low almost non existent tax they are charging large international companies. I'm not sure why that is confined to the Irish when Luxembourg is surely the biggest aider and abetter of tax dodgers?

Apparently in order to reduce plastic waste the government is going to increase the tax on plastic bags to 10p. There's a shortage of skilled workers which employers want to address by allowing more immigration. And the Daily Mail is helping to fill the gap in the NHS by recruiting 30,000 volunteers.

What's next. Maybe we could all become special constables. Just need a big stick, can of pepper spray and some ornage stickers for the car.

Solutions are surely easier than this?

For answers see Whoops Apocalypse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D5q1ZyMpFo

Just got my insurance renewal from Hastings. As I am swapping cars at the enod of the month and the new one comes with insurance I don't want to renew. The email directs me to my online account where I can modify my policy, give them money, change my account but not cancel. So I spent a half hour on the phone. First there was a five minute recorded voice telling me about fraud and how I could be prosecuted if....................then the usual 100 options none of which are quite what I wanted then finally 20 minutes of them telling me that 1) their operators are busy helping other customers 2) my business is important to them 3) I could access my account on line.

So I sent them an email saying I did not want my insurance to be renewed. They emailed back to say that this could not be completed by email but only by phone.

Surely this is criminal/fraudulent/a con.......................what word am I looking for? Surely the one thing you should be able to do easily is decline a product?

Vlad, yes we could do as that arse Boris Johnson said and tell them t go whistle for the money. However, they are trading partners and they can retaliate pretty easily by simply delaying imports for 48 hours or so. The reality is that we are in an interlocked world with rules. if we simply crash out then yes, we can start to import cheaper beef from South America as it says in the article but that comes with lower standards to (remember Mad Cow Disease?).

I agree though that much of this is just alarmist hogwash. But I would remind you that this was just an internal Tory party problem made into something much worse. You may have voted for a crash out of the EU scenario but talking to other people who voted out, this was not the deal they wanted nor voted for.

Ushering again at the theatre yesterday. It was a "relaxed" performance aimed at children with autism and such stuff. So no flashy lights or whizz bangs, no actors running through the audience, auditorium doors left open, lights only slightly turned down. One kid was on a mission to have the most number of wees in a session, some kids never settled and had to leave early and some of the grown ups were tricky too! Most managed to sit still enough to enjoy the show though and most loved it.

Absolutely knackering for me, had to go home for a lie down for a couple of hours!

My Christmas Day was spent with the family up in North Wales. A lovely warm bunch of people, as I say every year, I must find time to go therem ore often. The kids were extremely well behaved considering they're all between 3 and 6 years old and had a zillion presents to open and discard after the momentary excitement.

I'm back in the office. Working mainly on my driving studies when this PC thingie powers up properly although I shall be ushering at the theatre tomorrow. I've already done one stint on this panto but they're short of people so I'll help out once more - behind you!

I'll mostly be in work over the so called holidays. My broadband at home is worse than rubbish, so easier to be here.

I was being an usher at the Playhouse yesterday and doing another stint on Friday. Bit of an Alice in Wonderland type thing. The kids loved it. I enjoy the change of scenery and got my photo taken with the cast at the end of show! Yay.

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd, starting at noon in the private function room at the Grill House.

There will be a cash deposit for the bar and plenty of drinks! We'll have a small band playing traditional Christmas Carols, feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus.!

A Christmas tree will be lit at 1:00 PM. Exchanges of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets.

What a diverse group we are.! I had no idea that December 20th begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours.

There goes the party.!

Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon at this time of year does not accommodate our ‘Muslim employees' beliefs. Perhaps the Grill House can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party or else package everything for you to take it home in little aluminum foil doggy bag. Will that work.?

Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Weight Watchers to sit farthest from the dessert buffet, and pregnant women will get the table closest to the restrooms.

Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with Gay men, and each group will have their own table.

Yes, there will be flower arrangement for the Gay men's table.

To the person asking permission to cross dress, the Grill House asks that no cross-dressing to be allowed, apparently because of concerns about confusion in the restrooms. ‘Sorry.’

We will have booster seats for short people.

Low-fat food will be available for those on a diet.

I am sorry to report that we cannot control the amount of salt used in the food. The Grill House suggests that people with high blood pressure taste a bite first.

There will be fresh ‘low sugar’ fruits as dessert for diabetics, but the restaurant cannot supply ‘no sugar’ desserts. ‘Sorry!’

I've had it with you vegetarian nuts ! We're going to keep this party at the Grill House whether you people like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the ‘grill of death,’ as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your salad bar, including organic tomatoes.

But do you know that tomatoes have feelings too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream ‘RIGHT NOW!’

Wrighty - still on for the end of January - evenings of 21st, 22nd and 23rd. probably 21st best as I think I'll be expected to mingle with my fellow course attendees on the 22nd or 23rd. Natasha is welcome to come and visit me now that irina and I seem to be no more :-(

I can't believe they are all working for Pof - nothing changes on the site.

That was from 1996!! Abbott hasn't got any more intelligent since though. The real problem with the lack of skills in all areas, not just nurses, is the slow dismantling of the technical sector, the reliance on immigrants as a cheap way of solving skill shortages, the lack of foresight by politicians who know the decisions they make will not come back to bite them! they'll be long gone.

BTW Corbyn has just said that if there is another general election and labour win it, Brexit will still happen.

Go on, laugh away. But just think of this, I've been dumped by an ex Miss UK, by my ex of course and more than a few girlfriends, but this is the pits, I've now been dumped by a scammer. How low can I go?

My friend is 75. he's found a woman and they're very, very happy. That was through meeting up in real life through the meetup group I organise.

I was talking to another member last Friday who'd finally got out of her marriage with a controlling man a couple of years back and managed to get straight into another relationship with a controlling man. She was asking me why she attracted such men. I don't know the answer although there does seem to be a type that people do go for. It is particularly confusing as this woman is a well respected professional in the psychology field, is very much a go getter in her personal life, loves challenges and is now off hiking up jungle mountains to do some wildlife photography for a month or so.

Apparently Corbyn may or may not have called Treesa a stupid woman. which apparently is the most heinous crime in the world occupying the BBC headlines. Other than the fact that she is, I do feel the idea of mobilising 3500 troops to do something, chartering a plane to fly to Maastricht to pick up medical supplies at £30,000 a pop, that the government has just placed an order for zillions of fridges could actually be more important.

I went to see Peterloo last night at the flicks. Nothing much changes.

Last year I rang all the electricity suppliers to get their lowest Kw hour rate and their lowest standing charge. Then I rang my supplier, British Gas, and told them my findings. They said they could match one or the other but not both. So I said something like, do you want me to move then, whereupon the guy agreed they could do both (but not to tell anyone ssshhhhh!)

"Hello my dear Dave! I have a break so I am writing you now. Thank you for your reply. Your emails always made my day. I can not imagine my life without your emails, honey. Thank you for every word. Thank you for your care and affection! I do appreciate everything you do for me. Thank you for your time. Dave, You know, we have become very close. It's great that I can stay in your house. This is a very big and important step forward in our relations. I know that you’re serious and sincere at your intentions and goals. Thank you for that, it is so sweet. I want you to feel that I'm serious as well and really want to see you asap. I would like to visit a travel agency asap in order to find out what is necessary for my trip to you. Unfortunately, today I have much work to do, that’s why I am not sure I will be able go to the agency. But I promise to do it very soon. Dave, I’ve just realized that we are talking about the meeting. Can you imagine that? A short time ago we just dreamed about it, but soon our dream will come true. I am so happy!!! I am full of happiness and joy! I hope you too! Of course I need much to do to organize my trip. But just one thought about meeting with you makes me stronger and give me power to act. I am very serious about traveling to you and I'm sure everything will be fine! Honey, we will be together very soon. Can you imagine? Finally we can feel each other. I really want to hug you and feel your warmth and care. I want to give you all my affection and tenderness. We can finally kiss each other! Dave, it's so nice! Thank you for everything! However, it is now I am so brave talking about kisses and embraces. When we meet, I think I'll be shy)). Just remember this. Remember that I can be shy, but I really want to kiss you))! I did believe that dreams come true and thoughts are material. I was constantly thinking about you and our meeting. I was thinking about our evenings together. And everything will come true soon. My dear Dave, you will be the happiest man in the world! I will do my best. You give me the happiness, and you are worthy of a happy and honest relationship. Together we will achieve anything and be finally together. I just need to go to the agency and find out about everything. I will keep you in the loop. As soon as I have a chance I will definitely go there. Then I will write an email. Today we have a lot of customers in our store. So many work. I need to help people to choose clothing. I love my job because I love talking with people and help them. Because I am the happiest woman in the world and I want to share this happiness with everyone and make the world better. Of course my happiness will be enough for you too))) Dear Dave, I think I need to know some details about you for my journey to you. Can you write me back and give me your full name, phone number, home address and the nearest international Airport I can fly to? Please do not forget. I can not wait to learn everything about the trip and take action to make our meeting happen faster. Honey, I will do my best to make our dreams come true. And with your support and care, we will succeed! I am not tired thank fate for you! Dave, please let me know how you imagine our meeting. What do you think we will do? How will we spend time? If you remember from my emails I like active and interesting holidays. I think we are similar in this and we will have much fun and our meeting will be interesting and entertaining. To be fully honest to you, I am a little bit afraid of a trip. Because I have never flied I just have never traveled so far. Like any girl, I worry about the meeting. How will you react? Will you like me? This will be our first date and I want everything to go well! I know I must overcome my fears and difficulties! It's all for you, honey. You support me and that’s all I need! Thank you, Dave! We will be together I know ... I'm looking forward to the day when I can hug and kiss you! Dave, unfortunately, my break is coming to an end. I have to go now. I will think of you! You are always in my mind. I'll wait for your answer. Have a nice day! Kisses!!!Irina